(Karen Bradtke, "Girls with Guns
series", mixed media on Fabriano paper)
Recently opened at
artSPACE Durban is the Pulp Fiction
exhibition.
The genre of pulp
fiction was most popular in the first half of the 20th century and still going
strong. Cover art played a major role in the marketing of pulp magazines.
For the first half
of the 20th century, pulp fiction was one of the world’s most popular forms of
entertainment. The typical pulp magazine consisted of a slick, glossy,
vibrantly coloured cover and within, pages of fiction and advertising printed
on poor quality “pulp” paper. Crime, romance, westerns, horror and fantasy were
all staples for the pulps. Illustrators, painters and artists created original
works to adorn the covers and attract the readers. They were usually
sensational and lurid depictions of the short stories and articles inside.
In South Africa we
had our own version of pulp fiction, the photo magazine story. They were
extremely popular in South Africa in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Various titles such
as Tessa, Grensvegter and Kid Colt were produced by Republican
Press.
The artists pay
homage to, or critique this art form or the Tarantino movie, Pulp Fiction.
Pulp Fiction runs until October 31 at 14h00. artSPACE
durban is
situated at 3 Millar Road
(off Umgeni Road)
close to the Waste Centre. More information on 031 312 0793 or visit www.artspacedurban.co.za
or www.artspacedurban.blogspot.com
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